Paradox
by Beautiful Deceit
Summary: Being born into a prestigiously old wizarding family is thought to be one of luxury: power, riches, and class are practically thrust into a pureblood child's hands at birth. But, what if that child suddenly threw it all back?


Prologue

Some say the life of an "old money" pureblood is privileged; others may describe it as easy. Being born into a prestigiously old wizarding family is thought to be one of luxury: power, riches, and class are practically thrust into a pureblood child's hands at birth.

Yet, along with the grandeur comes responsibility: a pureblood must always be superior. They may never show emotion or pollute a superior lineage of old magic. The life of a pureblood is structured, decadent, and all-consuming.

For a pureblooded witch, however, greater constraints exist. A witch born into an "old magic" family must never be promiscuous. She must save herself for a rich and powerful suitor, able to advance her family's status in Pureblood Society. She must be intelligent and witty, yet submissive and sultry. She may not be too bold, for fear of offending a potential mate, but weakness is scorned. Pureblood witches are bred from birth for one purpose: to secure a prominent husband.

Now, many may find that the comfort of being this esteemed far outweighs the cost. Those less fortunate often overlook the immense pressure in favor of the seemingly grand living status. Many wish they were born into such a silver spoon life.

I was born into this life; born into the Wizarding World at a time where blood status was prevalent and Dark Magic threatened the world. My duties to my family were established since day one. I was to be the dutiful daughter, elegant heiress, and most sophisticated socialite. I was destined to further my family's power through marriage. It was expected of me to sneer at muggleborns, mock the poor, and affiliate myself with the Dark Lord's supporters.

I was born strikingly beautiful, being the envy of my peers. My raven black hair falls like silk down to my slim waist and I am told that I have curves in all of the right places; these traits are further accentuated by my porcelain skin and dainty features. Many men have said, though, that my emerald eyes are purely captivating. Personally, I could give a troll's hairy ass about my looks. Apparently, that is not the general consensus. My mother's friends would fawn over me, while my father's cronies, once I reached fourteen, would leer. Men flocked to me constantly and I knew my looks would guarantee me anything and everything that life had to offer. Couple this with being the heiress to one of the two richest Wizarding families ever in existence and the world is my oyster. I was also extremely gifted in the magical arena—I grasped wandless magic at the tender age of thirteen. The skill of legillimency came a year later. Sounds like a charmed life, no?

Unfortunately, I have both a heart and a soul. See, being soulless is pretty much a requirement for the life I'm expected to lead. You'd have to lack scruples, morals, compassion, and basic human decency to support the Dark Lord and go along with such a barbaric, blood-based genocide. Heartlessness is also necessary in order to marry for power or to raise children in such loveless environments, where their worth is measured by the advancement that a child can provide to his or her parents. My parents would have hung themselves if my twin brother and I were born dim and ugly.

Though I was bred for the life of a pureblood, it went against everything I felt deep within my core. I wanted power, yet for the right reasons. I wanted real friendships based on loyalty. I wanted to marry for love and shower my children with affection. I wanted a real family. I wanted to stop being Gemini Isabella Rosalina Zabini and be "Just Gem". I wanted to reform my brother Blaise and break away from the Dark Lord. And I most definitely wanted to stop being in love with Draco Malfoy.

A/N: Hey everyone! Not sure where this is going exactly, but I had this idea in my head and couldn't get rid of it. I'm hoping to get some feedback on whether to continue or not! Reviews are appreciated!

Xo, Beautiful Deceit


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